1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to cooling systems and, more particularly, to a cooling module that provides fan/pump integration.
2. Background Information
Recent advances in computer technology have been largely driven by the increasing speed and decreasing size of semiconductor devices and other electronic components, a trend famously predicted by Moore's law, which states that the performance of semiconductor devices generally doubles every eighteen months.
This reduction in size and increase in speed gives rise to a number of challenges, not the least of which is the challenge of cooling semiconductor devices and other such heat-generating components during operation. For example, it is predicted that, in the near future, it will not be unusual for CPUs to generate on the order of 100 watts or more. The traditional cooling systems for such devices—i.e., heat sinks, fan coolers, and the like—will no longer be capable of dissipating this level of heat, particularly in systems (such as personal computer systems) where the components are held within a relatively small, densely packed, and poorly ventilated enclosure.
Furthermore, while small coolant pumps have been developed for liquid cooling of components and other heat-generating devices, such pumps are typically expensive, overpowered, consume too much power, and require additional space inside the enclosure.
Advanced cooling systems are therefore needed to overcome these and other limitations of the prior art.